160 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



For outside finish, we should prefer plank — stout 

 IJ-inch plank — put on in the vertical manner, and 

 the joints covered with 2i-inch battens. The orna- 

 mental portions, window-hoods, verge-boards, &c., 

 should also be made from l^-inch plank. 



" "\Vo have designed the windows to be filled with 

 lozenge or diamond panes; but these, although 

 morein accordance with the style of the house, 

 may be omitted, and rectangular squares inserted 

 in their place. 



" Cost. — Built in the above manner, the interior 

 finisli of a plain, inexpensive character, this house 

 would cost, in the neighborhood of Boston, from 

 $3,800 to $4,000." 



MANAGEMENT OF CALVES, &C. 



The Genesee Farmer has come to hand, now as 

 ever a welcome visitor, containing much valuable 

 information, which is producing the desired effect. 

 The people are beginning to appreciate such publi- 

 cations, and when they have once taken the Gene- 

 esee Farmer^ do not like to be without it. In fact, 

 some of us need two, in order to keep peace ; for 

 it is no sooner in the house than the ladies want it, 

 and we can hardly get hold of it ; neither can we 

 endure waiting. 



The article on the management of the manure 

 heap, published in the February number, is excel- 

 lent, as are also many others, such as "Bringing 

 Seed from the South," "No cattle no manure," «fec. 

 But if I should attempt to notice all the interesting 

 articles in any one number, I should only waste my 

 time and your space. 



The letter from John Johnston, in the March 

 number, is very interesting. I hope he will enter- 

 tain us with more such experiments. But there is 

 an article on rearing calves, from the pen of E. 

 Matnard, I think little of, and am only astonished 

 that some of your able correspondents have not 

 written a reply for the April number. I shall take 

 up the paragraph.s as they stand, and give my opin- 

 ion of them, and let it go for what it is worth. 



Taking calves from the cow at two days old, is 

 not good. They are more stupid about drinking 

 than when first dropped. I would sooner take 

 them from tlie cow as soon as they can stand, and 

 learn them to drink before they learn to suck, I 

 find this to be the easiest way, and, all things taken 

 into account, it is just as good if they suck the cow. 

 A little less milk will serve them ; but it punishes 

 them at weaning time, and is also harder on the 

 cow. But they should have new milk at least 

 three weeks ; and if longer, it will pay, if care be 

 taken of them afterwards. I consider sour milk no 

 feed for a young calf. It might do as a drink for 

 them at three or four months old. Let milk stand 

 twenty-four hours, and then skim it, and it is worth 

 something for them, and they will pay for all that 

 may be lost in tlie cream. 



As to the information in the second paragraph, 

 it might do very well if people would take the 

 trouble. 



Not so with the third. I have seen many calves 

 raised, but have never seen one much hurt with 

 over feeding the first few weeks; but if, on the 

 other hand, they get stunted at that age, it often 

 takes more to start them again than they are worth 



at six months old. Mr. Maynard's cows must be 

 good if half their milk is suflicicnt for a calf until 

 four weeks old ; but any fanner's wife should know 

 wiien a calf's holly is full, whether suckling or feed- 

 ing from tlie i)ail. I knew an old woman who used 

 always to allow her calves so many panfuls, no 

 matter what ago or size ; but she never had good 

 ones. Care should be taken not to let them drink 

 too fast. 



In regard to letting them suck all summer, few 

 people would do that, unless they intended making 

 something of them ; then of course they would con- 

 tinue to feed well. But even in that case I would 

 prefer feeding them by hand with new milk. They 

 become more docile, and are less troublesome at 

 weaning time. J. k. 



Canada West. April, 1859. 



Planting Potatoks with Corn. — Last year I 

 told you of iny planting potatoes among corn, and 

 with what success, that being the second year. I 

 am now to relate my third year's trial, this being 

 with the Mercer, Avhich have always been, with 

 me, more subject to the rot than any other kind I 

 have raised. In digging them last fall, I found 

 enough to prove that they were not wholly exempt 

 from the disease, still there Avere far less than 

 among those planted alone. The yield was not as 

 good as by themselves, while I believe the corn 

 was full as good, in both quantity and quality, as 

 if there had been no potatoes there. My method 

 is to fit the ground for corn, mark for rows one 

 way, and plant across the marks. This gives rows 

 both ways. I then plant a hill of potatoes in e very- 

 space between each two hills of corn. This leaves 

 the crop so as to be oultrvated only one way, which 

 may be repeated as may be required. — D., Gates. 



Beans on a Sandy Knoi.l. — Last year a friend 

 of mine, who had a sand hill of half an acre on his 

 farm, which had never grown anything — not even 

 weeds, concluded to try beans. He had the land 

 plowed and harrowed, and about the first of June 

 planted his beans, ( White Dioarj\) in bunches, 3 

 feet by 2. After they came up they were well 

 cultivated, and supplied with a handful of plaster 

 to each hill. The crop when harvested yielded 22 

 bushels of as good an article as was ever raised. 

 —J. M., Norfolk Co., C. W. 



The iMroRTAXCE of Undeedraining. — Here is a 

 man who drained an eight-acre lot, and got 300 

 bushels of barley from it the next season." The 

 farmer he bought the farm of had the honesty to 

 tell him that the field was worth nothing but for 

 pasture, and very little for that; and that when- 

 ever he broke it up and planted or sowed it with 

 grain, it was a dead failure. This is now the most 

 reliable field for a grain crop on the whole farm. 

 A hard clay subsoil. — S. W. 



—^ ^ I ^ 



Early Pasttibing. — Stock are better kept in 

 the yard in spring, till the grass gets a good start. 

 Then turn them out for a few hours every day. 

 Continue to give them dry food every day for % 

 week or ten days, to prevent scouring. 



A handful of dry peat in the liill is said to have 

 a good eiTect in preventing the potato disease. 



